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The doctor quoted in the article about making hospitals more "user friendly" totally missed the point. I gave birth to my son in a room that looked like the Days Inn. But the bad attitudes, lack of patience and abuse, from the midwives and one nurse involved made it a traumatizing experience. Women are choosing to give birth at home to remain on their turf, in an environment where they are comfortable, because it is their home. No matter how many wallpaper borders are pasted on hospital walls if the fundamental attitudes toward birth that many of the birth attendants bring into the delivery room don't change, the hospital will never be 'user friendly.' I believe birth is a process with physiological and pyschological factors as well as risks. True, hospital remodeling would help, but remodeling of the hearts and minds of birth attendants would help more.
BTW Alicia, I would love to read about the effects of the confluence of modern midwifery and the contraceptive culture, if you ever want to look into that tar pit.

I too wanted to add my own two cents about my own homebirth and how ridiculous the author was being. I have NEVER heard anyone who gave birth in a hospital talk about how positive or wonderful the experience was. My first child was a homebirth, and hopefully, they'll all be that way. It was hard not to yell at the computer. Yes, there are risks in birth but there is in everything else. Giving birth at home was one of the milestones of my life - up there with being baptized and our wedding Mass. How I wish every new mother could have the experience I had, the joy my husband and I shared that day, and the midwife who assisted me through it all.